This project addresses the area of grid integration of the variable and renewable energy
resource of wave energy. In particular, the project will examine the design of an optimal
control strategy, which will simultaneous attempt to maximise power capture by the device,
while observing grid regulations. Normally, these two objectives conflict, but the provision of intermediate dc storage can help to alleviate the conflict. However, the provision of intermediate storage incurs additional costs and, ultimately, the trade-off between additional captured energy (with consequent increased energy receipts) and storage capacity requirements (with consequent increase in capital costs) presents an economic optimisation problem. This problem will be solved as a control co-design (CCD) problem using a formal CCD framework.
The project will also examine the utility of the addition of other marine renewable modalities
(e.g. tidal, offshore wind), in an effort to reduce the variability of produced energy, while also
having an impact on the level of intermediate storage required.